Al–1961’s BodyBlog

LAST DAY……NO CHEATS IN JUNE.      

This self-challenge has been good for me to prove to myself that I can just say "no!" to nighttime snacking & grazing on junkfood or sweets.  I’m beginning to believe………my long lost abs exist.  I just might manage to uncover them with further adherence to clean eating & planned cheat days. 

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  SHOULDERS & TRICEPS:

(Heavy:  5-8 reps, 45-60 sec’s rest)

–  Military press  (4 sets, last set superset w/ front DB raise)

–  Lateral DB raise  (4 sets, last set superset w/ front DB raise)

–  Arnold DB press  (3 sets, last set superset w/ front DB raise)

–  Overhead DB press  (3 sets, last set superset w/ front DB raise)

–  Curlbar tricep ext’s  (4 sets, last set superset w/ dips)

–  Close grip bench press  (4 sets, last set superset w/ tricep kickbacks)

–  Cable reverse grip tricep ext’s  (3 sets, last set superset w/ dips)

–  Cable rope tricep pushdowns  (3 sets, last set superset w/ dips)

CARDIO:  20 min’s HIIT on the stairmaster.  Heartrate 155-175.

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!     

2 days away from going thru June with no cheats.  I survived numero dos daughter’s birthday party on Saturday.  No cake or junk for me.  Also, on Saturday morning I got together with a couple buddies of mine, and one brought a box full of Krispy Kreme donuts.  Crikey…..temptation galore!  But I refrained from chowing down.  I gulped down some black coffee (no cream or sweetener).  I didn’t exercise over the weekend, and my body felt GREAT this morning with 2 full days of rest.  I was feeling sore, achy & worn by Friday last week.  Ready to hit it hard this week.      

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  CHEST:

(Heavy:  5-7 reps, 45-60 sec’s rest)

–  Bench press  (4 sets, last set superset w/ flyes)

–  Decline bench  (4 sets, last set superset w/ decline flyes)

–  Incline bench  (3 sets, last set superset w/ incline flyes)

–  Pec Dec machine  (3 sets, last set superset w/ pushups)

CARDIO:  30 min’s interval sprints on treadmill.  Heartrate 150-170.

ABS:  Leg raises  (5 sets, last 2 sets superset w/ crunches w/ 10 lb wt)

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!      

"MOTIVATION"……..We read so many laments about lost motivation for workouts or healthy diet on this site.  WHAT IS motivation & how do we maintain it?  Well, there are 2 different definitions of motivation.  The 1st is really about goals.  What is your goal?  What "motivates" you to exercise & eat right?  To gain muscle?  To lose weight?  Etc.  The 2nd definition is the one most people really mean……..How does one keep up the enthusiasm for hitting the workouts & staying on point with clean eating?  This is what I want to comment on.  How do we keep the fire going to hit the workouts & diet, day in & day out?

Persistence & determination are key, not “motivation”.  Here’s a fav quote of mine from Calvin Coolidge, which helps when I don’t “feel” like doing what I know I should do: 

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

I HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE TODAY WHO FEELS DISCOURAGED.

LEG DAY………I have to admit I hate squats.  When going hard & done right, they’re just killer.  Takes all my concentration to go hard & use good form.  I do’em, but I don’t like’em.  However, the workout was good this morning.  For the 1st time in a while, my lower back gave me no problems.  No soreness or muscle tweaks.  It’s been a long week with not enough sleep the 1st half of the week.  Legs were supposed to be on Wednesday, but there just wasn’t enough gas in my tank then or yesterday.  I’ve had 2 good nights of sleep, so today was a good day to hit legs & end the week.  I am READY for a rest weekend.  I hope everyone has a great weekend.  Thanks for reading.     

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  LEGS:

(8-10 reps, 45-75 sec’s rest)

--  Smith Machine squats  (7 sets)  -  Superset w/ leg press on 5th & 6th sets;  dropset on 7th set

–  Hack squats  (4 sets)  -  Dropset on 3rd & 4th sets

–  Calf raises  (6 sets)  -  Superset w/ seated calf raise on 4th-6th sets

–  Leg curls  (4 sets)  -  Dropset on 3rd & 4th sets

–  Leg extensions  (4 sets)  -  Dropset on 3rd & 4th sets

–  Walking lunges  -  25 lb DB in each hand  (3 sets)  -  Each set superset w/ standing calf raise, holding same DB wts

ABS:  Crunches w/ 10 lb wt  (4 sets)  -  Dropset on 3rd & 4th sets

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!     

The Schmoozer……….VERY annoying.  There’s this guy at the gym this morning, probably 40-45, who is always chatting up a couple of the women.  Dark tan, no wedding ring (of course).  For almost the entire time of my cardio, he’s standing next to this lady on an elliptical, schmoozing.  Preening (sorry, I mean stretching), laughing, being cool & groovy.  He’s cruising, at 5:30am?!!  I was waiting for the lights to go dim, the disco ball to drop, & shazam!  His workout clothes go poof!.  Instantly he’s wearing an open collar shirt to his chest, lots of gold necklaces & a leisure suit.  Oily! 

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  BICEPS:

(Heavy:  5-8 reps, 45-60 sec’s rest)

–  Curlbar curls  (6 sets, last 2 sets superset w/ DB curls)

–  Barbell curls  (5 sets, last 2 sets superset w/ cable curls)

–  DB curls  (4 sets, last 2 sets superset w/ close grip barbell curls)

CARDIO:  31 min’s LIIT/MIIT on elliptical.  Heartrate 140-160.

ABS:  Situps on decline bench w/ 10 lb wt  (4 sets, last 2 sets w/ dropset)

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!     

Let’s Make A Deal……….PPPPPP.  Time to put this dead horse to rest.  I decided to cut the train off at the pass to prevent the derailing of my goal to go through June with no cheats.  So I took the bull by the horns regarding my daughter’s birthday party this Saturday.  I put on my Monty Hall hat & just talked to her straight-up & made a deal.  Told her I can’t wait for the party & asked if she would mind if I saved my piece of cake until next week, after June 30.  She said "That’s fine Dad.  I don’t mind".  Awesome.  We talk a lot on this site about the importance of planning your meals or planning ahead on how to deal with diet hurdles, such as parties, family gatherings, work lunches, etc.  So that’s what I did.  PPPPPP:  Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.  It’s one of the acronyms we used during my Navy days.  Now I have smooth sailing to the finish line for no cheats in June, barring some unforeseen disaster leading to a crash & burn.  THAT’S NOT going to happen.     

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  BACK:

(5-8 reps, 90 sec’s rest on pullups, 45-60 sec’s rest on weights)

–  Pullups  (20, 10, 6, 5, 5.  Last 2 sets superset w/ cable rows)

–  Bentover barbell rows  (5 sets, last 2 sets superset w/ bentover DB rows)

–  Close grip cable pulldowns  (5 sets, last 2 sets superset w/ cable rows)

CARDIO:  20 min’s HIIT on the treadmill, heartrate 160-175.  Followed by 10 min’s LISS on the treadmill, heartrate 140-150.

ABS:  Leg raises over the head  (5 sets, last 2 sets superset w/ crunches w/ 10 lb wt)

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!      

Priorities…….what’s more important?  Thanks for all the input on yesterday’s blog, on the possible cheat I may feel ‘compelled’ to do for my 7 yr old’s birthday party this Saturday.  I agree with the opinions stating that we shouldn’t let ourselves be pressured into emotional eating, or to satisfy the emotional needs of another person.  And, yes, I would be sorely disappointed to get to the end of June with no cheats, only to miss my goal of going the entire month with no cheats, while coming right up to the finish line.  However, I have absolutely no problem giving in to some cake & ice cream if my little girl really wants me to partake, as part of her excitement & birthday celebration.  It won’t be due to giving in to pressure from my wife OR to meet the ongoing emotional needs of my daughter.  I see this as one of those times, as a parent, that I may have to step up to the plate and do what’s best for my daughter, not what I want.  It will be her day, not mine.  Will one cheat in a month kill me?  Does this come up regularly?  Nope.  It’s a time to let my daughter have her day, and for me to show that she’s more important to me than a no cheat goal that she doesn’t understand anyway.  So, I’m hoping it’s not going to be a big deal on Saturday.  I’m "this close", and I want to cross the finish line of this self challenge.  But I’ll be cool with it if my girl wants to share some goodies with ole Dad.  And I don’t have to eat half the cake & a whole tub of ice cream.     

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  DELTS  &  TRICEPS:

(Heavy:  5-8 reps, 45-60 sec’s rest)

–  Overhead DB press  (5 sets, superset w/ lateral DB raise on 4th & 5th sets)

–  Military press  (4 sets, superset w/ lateral DB raise on 3rd & 4th sets)

–  Front DB raise  (4 sets, superset w/ lateral DB raise on 3rd & 4th sets)

–  Close grip bench press  (5 sets, superset w/ dips on 4th & 5th sets)

–  Cable rope pushdowns  (4 sets, superset w/ dips on 3rd & 4th sets)

–  Cable reverse tricep ext’s  (4 sets, superset w/ dips on 3rd & 4th sets)

CARDIO:  30 min’s LIIT on stationary bike.  Heartrate 130-150.

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!     

The Heart Attack Grill…….check out the link below about this restaurant.  Ya think maybe this is not on my clean eats menu for June? 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,528069,00.html

Over-doing it?  I hope I’m not getting too wrapped around the axle on going for no cheats on diet in June (still going, so far).  I felt a bit guilty this morning for snacking on some pretzels with cheese last night, while watching a movie.  I don’t see that as cheating with crap food, so what’s up with being peeved about it this morning?  It seems nuts to me to be perturbed by that, since I’m not trying to keep my carbs to zilch on a Keto diet, and I did not overeat during the rest of the day.  In fact, I avoided eating at a church potluck last night, which had lots of unhealthy choices & sweets.  Then, I also avoided sweets during a trip to the grocery store last night, which was the 1st time in weeks that I can say I was really craving sweets.  While shopping, my daughters asked "Daddy, if we bake you a chocolate cake for Fathers Day, will you have some?".  (They know I’m on a clean eats kick right now)  I responded "Yes, but not until June is over." 

My last hurdle to finish the month:  My 7 yr old’s birthday party this coming Saturday.  She loves to share & for everyone to have fun.  If she frets & pouts because I try to abstain from cake & ice cream, I’m cooked.  Sunk.  Game over.  My wife will step in & make me have some cake & ice cream, as in "you’re hurting Sarah’s feelings just to prove to yourself you can go a whole month without any junkfood or sweets?"   I’ll have to indulge to maintain peace & tranquility on the homefront.  I’m outnumbered 3 to 1.  One guy, 3 women.  So……..heading down the home stretch of making June a no cheat month. 

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  CHEST:

(Heavy:  5-8 reps, 45-60 sec’s rest)

–  Decline bench press  (5 sets, superset w/ incline DB press on 4th & 5th sets)

–  Flyes  (4 sets, superset w/ incline flyes on 3rd & 4th sets)

–  Incline bench press  (3 sets, superset with flyes on 2nd & 3rd sets)

–  Pec dec machine  (3 sets, superset w/ pushups on 2nd & 3rd sets)

CARDIO:  25 min’s HIIT on elliptical.  Heartrate 150-170.

ABS:  Crunches w/ 10 lb wt  (5 sets)

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!     

Wowzers, a turbo-charged Saturday workout.  I set another PR on pullups & hit a goal.  My pullup goal was to either get 20 pullups on the 1st set or at least 10 on the 2nd set.  This morning I hit 18 pullups (a PR), then 12 on the 2nd set.  Now I can move on to the next step in working lats……..which will be to add a 5 or 10 lb weight when doing pullups.  I also did sprints on the treadmill at a higher setting than I’ve ever attempted before.  Great way to kick off the weekend.  I think the extra mojo this morning was fueled by 2 factors:  ONE, I hit the gym at 8am, instead of the normal 5am during the week.  TWO, while I’m still with the clean eats the whole month of June (no cheats!!), I did have some sushi last night.  I think having a little extra rice (complex carbs) served as a carb-up day.  I’ve been eating less carbs the past few weeks.  Whatever the cause, it’s great when the stars align for a power workout.  My bicep routine this morning was good too.      

WORKOUT THIS MORNING  —  BACK  &  BICEPS:

(5-8 reps, 90 sec’s rest on pullups, 45-60 sec’s rest on weights)

–  Pullups  (18, 12, 7, 6, 5.  Last set superset w/ barbell bentover rows)

–  Cable pulldowns close grip  (4 sets, superset 3rd & 4th set w/ DB bentover rows)

–  Barbell bentover rows  (4 sets, superset 3rd & 4th set w/ DB bentover rows)

–  Curlbar curls  (6 sets, superset 5th & 6th sets w/ DB curls)

–  Straightbar curls  (5 sets, superset 4th & 5th sets w/ DB curls)

CARDIO:  22 min’s HIIT sprints on treadmill.  Heartrate 150-170.

Just getting to the gym IS a successful workout!